SHALER TWP - Missed opportunities followed by missed tackles.

That sums up Seneca Valley's 14-7 high school football loss at Shaler Saturday afternoon.

The Raiders drove inside the Shaler 35-yard line four times in the first half while the Titans never got past their own 42. Yet the game was scoreless at halftime.

On the first snap of the second half, Shaler's Brandon McNearney ran off tackle, cut to the left sideline and raced 81 yards for a touchdown.

"Talk about an emotional uplift," Shaler coach Jacque DeMatteo said. "Yeah, we definitely needed that.

"We were fortunate to be tied at halftime - very fortunate."

Raiders quarterback Marshall Lee was intercepted twice in the first half - by Kevin Hathaway on first down at the Shaler 31 and by McNearney on second down at the Titans 33.

Both picks were on deep passes.

In between the interceptions, up-back Mike Kersten rambled 18 yards on a fake punt to help the Raiders drive inside the Shaler 20.

On fourth-and-2 from the 15, Seneca Valley planned to go for the first down, but a delay of game penalty nixed that idea and Mark Renyck's 37-yard field goal attempt was wide right.

Seneca Valley (0-6, 0-4) got one more scoring chance in the first half when Ben Edwards intercepted a Matt Davis pass at the Titans 43. Renyck tried a 46-yard field goal with three seconds left in the half, but it was short and wide right.

"I didn't dwell on the first half too much (at halftime) because we were playing well and had to get ready for the second half," Seneca Valley coach Ron Butschle said. "But we had our chances to go in front."

After McNearney's touchdown, the Raiders' Nate Bradley returned the kickoff 67 yards to the Shaler 23. Passes of 10 yards to Jim Paulin and 12 yards to Jeremy Gorniak produced a first-and-goal from the 2-yard line.

Shaler linebacker Nathan Plernick nailed Evan Braithwaite for a 3-yard loss on first down, Lee took a 1-yard loss on second down and two incompletions turned the ball over on downs.

SV's defense forced a three-and-out, however, setting up a 37-yard game-tying scoring drive as Lee found Gorniak for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 3:49 left in the third quarter.

Shaler's ground attack took over at that point. McNearney ran for 13 yards and fullback Jon Flage ran for 21 before a play-action pass resulted in a 22-yard touchdown toss to Flage just two minutes after the Raiders knotted the game.

"We improved in a lot of areas today," Butschle said. "But sliding off tackles, getting blown off the line of scrimmage - we can't accept that kind of play."

McNearney had 17 carries for 173 yards while Flage had 15 carries for 134 for the Titans (3-3, 2-2).

Seneca Valley had one more opportunity when Jason Davis recovered a Shaler fumble near midfield with 8:47 left in the game.

Braithwaite caught a 12-yard pass to give the Raiders a first down at the Titans 35. But the Raiders punted on fourth-and-9 from the 34, with 5:31 to play.

Shaler's running game ground out the remaining time.

Lee threw for 120 yards and connected with five different receivers. Much of the game was played in rain.

"The weather didn't affect us," Butschle said. "Our game plan was a short passing game, and we were able to execute that.

"This is the sixth week of the season and it's time to win some games. That's what we have to stress to the kids. We played better than we have, but we can't be satisfied with that.

"Losing 14-7 is not OK," Butschle added.